[Verse 1] I was born in Macon, Georgia They kept my dad in the Macon jail And he said son if you keep your hands clean You won't hear them bloodhounds on your trail But I fell in with bad companions We robbed a man in Tennessee The sheriff caught me Way up in Nashville They locked me up and threw away the key [Chorus] Washed my hands in muddy water Washed my hands, but they didn’t come clean Tried to do like daddy told me But I must've washed my hands in a muddy stream [Verse 2] I asked the jailor when's my time up? He said son, we won’t forget And if you try to keep your hands clеan We may make a good man of you yet I couldn't wait to do my sеntence I broke out of the Nashville jail I just crossed the line of Georgia And I can hear them bloodhounds on my trail [Chorus] Washed my hands in muddy water Washed my hands, but they didn't come clean Tried to do like daddy told me But I must've washed my hands in a muddy stream